Squamea convolvens sublato pectore terga,
Atque notis longam maculosus grandibus alvum,
Qui, dum amnes ulli rumpuntur fontibus, et dum
Vere madent udo terrae ac pluvialibus austris,
Stagna colit, ripisque habitans hic piscibus atram
Improbus ingluviem ranisque loquacibus explet;
Postquam exusta palus, terraeque ardore dehiscunt,
Exsilit in siccum, et flammantia lumina torquens
Saevit agris, asperque siti atque exterritus aestu.
Nec mihi tum mollis sub divo carpere somnos,
Neu dorso nemoris libeat jacuisse per herbas,
Cum positis novus exuviis nitidusque juventa
Volvitur, aut catulos tectis aut ova relinquens,
Arduus ad solem, et linguis micat ore trisulcis.
Morborum quoque te causas et signa docebo.
Turpis ovis tentat scabies, ubi frigidus imber
Altius ad vivum persedit et horrida cano
Bruma gelu, vel cum tonsis illotus adhaesit
Sudor, et hirsuti secuerunt corpora vepres.
Dulcibus idcirco fluviis pecus omne magistri
Perfundunt, udisque aries in gurgite villis
Mersatur, missusque secundo defluit amni;
Aut tonsum tristi continguunt corpus amurca,
Et spumas miscent argenti et sulfura viva
Idaeasque pices et pinguis unguine ceras
Scillamque helleborosque gravis nigrumque bitumen.
Non tamen ulla magis praesens fortuna laborum est,
Quam si quis ferro potuit rescindere summum
Ulceris os alitur vitium vivitque tegendo,
Dum medicas adhibere manus ad vulnera pastor
Abnegat, aut meliora deos sedet omina poscens.
Quin etiam, ima dolor balantum lapsus ad ossa
Cum furit, atque artus depascitur arida febris,
Profuit incensos aestus avertere, et inter
Ima ferire pedis salientem sanguine venam;
Bisaltae quo more solent acerque Gelonus,
Cum fugit in Rhodopen atque in deserta Getarum,
Et lac concretum cum sanguine potat equino.
Quam procul aut molli succedere saepius umbrae
440-463. The causes and cure of disease in sheep.-464-473. The necessity of promptness urged from the danger of infection.
Videris, aut summas carpentem ignavius herbas,
Extremamque sequi, aut medio procumbere campo
Pascentem, et serae solam decedere nocti;
Continuo culpam ferro compesce, priusquam
Dira per incautum serpant contagia vulgus.
Non tam creber agens hiemem ruit aequore turbo,
Quam multae pecudum pestes. Nec singula morbi
Corpora corripiunt, sed tota aestiva repente,
Spemque gregemque simul, cunctamque ab origine gentem.
Tum sciat, aërias Alpis et Norica si quis
Castella in tumulis et Iapydis arva Timavi
Nunc quoque post tanto videat, desertaque regna
Pastorum, et longe saltus lateque vacantis.
Et genus omne neci pecudum dedit, omne ferarum,
Corrupitque lacus, infecit pabula tabo.
Hic quondam morbo coeli miseranda coorta est
Tempestas totoque autumni incanduit aestu,
Nec via mortis erat simplex; sed ubi ignea venis
Omnibus acta sitis miseros adduxerat artus,
Rursus abundabat fluidus liquor omniaque in se
Ossa minutatim morbo collapsa trahebat.
Saepe in honore deum medio stans hostia ad aram,
Lanea dum nivea circumdatur infula vitta,
Inter cunctantis cecidit moribunda ministros.
Aut si quam ferro mactaverat ante sacerdos,
Inde neque impositis ardent altaria fibris,
Nec responsa potest consultus reddere vates,
Ac vix suppositi tinguuntur sanguine cultri,
Summaque jejuna sanie infuscatur arena.
Hinc laetis vituli vulgo moriuntur in herbis,
Et dulcis animas plena ad praesepia reddunt ;
Hinc canibus blandis rabies venit, et quatit aegros
Tussis anhela sues ac faucibus angit obesis.
Labitur infelix studiorum atque immemor herbae
Victor equus, fontesque avertitur et pede terram
Crebra ferit; demissae aures; incertus ibidem
474-481. Introduction to a striking description of an autumnal epidemic among cattle in the Noric Alps and its neighbourhood.-482-485. Complicated nature of the disease. -486-493. Its sudden effects on sheep.-494, 495. Its sudden effects on heifers in the pastures.— 496, 497. On dogs and swine.-498-502. Commencement of the disease in horses.
Sudor, et ille quidem morituris frigidus; aret
Pellis et ad tactum tractanti dura resistit.
Haec ante exitium primis dant signa diebus ;
Sin in processu coepit crudescere morbus,
Tum vero ardentes oculi atque attractus ab alto
Spiritus, interdum gemitu gravis, imaque longo
Ilia singultu tendunt, it naribus ater
Sanguis, et obsessas fauces premit aspera lingua.
Profuit inserto latices infundere cornu
Lenaeos; ea visa salus morientibus una.
Mox erat hoc ipsum exitio, furiisque refecti
Ardebant, ipsique suos jam morte sub aegra-
Di meliora piis, erroremque hostibus illum !-
Discissos nudis laniabant dentibus artus.
Ecce autem duro fumans sub vomere taurus
Concidit et mixtum spumis vomit ore cruorem
Extremosque ciet gemitus. It tristis arator,
Moerentem abjungens fraterna morte juvencum,
Atque opere in medio defixa relinquit aratra.
Non umbrae altorum nemorum, non mollia possunt
Prata movere animum, non, qui per saxa volutus
Purior electro campum petit amnis; at ima
Solvuntur latera, atque oculos stupor urguet inertis,
Ad terramque fluit devexo pondere cervix.
Quid labor aut benefacta juvant? quid vomere terras 525
Invertisse gravis? Atqui non Massica Bacchi
Munera, non illis epulae nocuere repostae :
Frondibus et victu pascuntur simplicis herbae,
Pocula sunt fontes liquidi atque exercita cursu
Flumina, nec somnos abrumpit cura salubris.
Tempore non alio dicunt regionibus illis
Quaesitas ad sacra boves Junonis, et uris
Imparibus ductos alta ad donaria currus.
Ergo aegre rastris terram rimantur, et ipsis
Unguibus infodiunt fruges, montisque per altos
Contenta cervice trahunt stridentia plaustra.
Non lupus insidias explorat ovilia circum,
503-514. Progress of the disease in horses.-515-530. Sufferings of the innocent steers at work.-531-536. Hardships imposed on the people.-537-547. Other animals experienced the evil effects of the disease.
Nec gregibus nocturnus obambulat; acrior illum
Cura domat. Timidi damae cervique fugaces
Nunc interque canes et circum tecta vagantur.
Jam maris immensi prolem et genus omne natantum
Litore in extremo, ceu naufraga corpora, fluctus
Proluit; insolitae fugiunt in flumina phocae.
Interit et curvis frustra defensa latebris
Vipera, et attoniti squamis adstantibus hydri.
Ipsis est aër avibus non aequus, et illae
Praecipites alta vitam sub nube relinquunt.
Praeterea jam nec mutari pabula refert,
Quaesitaeque nocent artes; cessere magistri,
Phillyrides Chiron Amythaoniusque Melampus.
Saevit, et in lucem Stygiis emissa tenebris,
Pallida Tisiphone Morbos agit ante Metumque,
Inque dies avidum surgens caput altius effert.
Balatu pecorum et crebris mugitibus amnes
Arentesque sonant ripae collesque supini.
Jamque catervatim dat stragem atque aggerat ipsis
In stabulis turpi dilapsa cadavera tabo,
Donec humo tegere ac foveis abscondere discunt.
Nam neque erat coriis usus, nec viscera quisquam
Aut undis abolere potest, aut vincere flamma;
Ne tondere quidem morbo inluvieque peresa
Vellera, nec telas possunt attingere putris.
Verum etiam invisos si quis tentarat amictus,
Ardentes papulae atque immundus olentia sudor
Membra sequebatur, nec longo deinde moranti
Tempore contactos artus sacer ignis edebat.
548-550. All remedies were unavailing.-551-566. Fearful havoc made by the pestilence, and its pernicious effects on the animal system.
THE care of bees forms the subject of the fourth Book of the Georgics, which begins with an address to Maecenas, stating the argument, 1-7. The choice of a place fit for bees (8-24), and what should be done to render it advantageous (25-32) are then discussed. Directions are given as to the hives, 33-46. Certain things to be avoided,
47-50. How to induce them to settle when they issue forth in early spring, 51-66. What to do when they fight under rival kings, 67-94. Description of the best kind of bees, 95-102. How to keep them at home when in an unsettled state, 103-115. A brief allusion to flowergardens, 116-124. A description of ground, otherwise useless, profitable as a garden, 125-148. The nature of bees described generally, 149-157. Their ceaseless and varied employments, 158-178. The work of the aged, 178, 179. The work of the young, 180-188. Their night repose, 189, 190. Their employment when rain threatens, 191-196. Their mode of producing young bees, 197-209. Their devotion to their king, 210-218. Inference drawn by some philosophers from the nature of bees, 219-227. How to proceed when their honey is desired, 228-238. Precautions against vermin during winter recommended, 239-250. Diseases of bees, and their remedies, 251-280. If the swarm of bees has died out, a method of replacing them, from the putrified carcase of a heifer, mentioned as universal in Egypt, and first practised by Aristaeus, 281-294. This method described, 295-314. The origin of it detailed, 315-558. General conclusion to the Georgics, 559-566.
PROTENUS aërii mellis caelestia dona
Exsequar. Hanc etiam, Maecenas, aspice partem.
Admiranda tibi levium spectacula rerum,
Magnanimosque duces, totiusque ordine gentis
Mores, et studia, et populos, et proelia dicam.
In tenui labor; at tenuis non gloria, si quem
Numina laeva sinunt auditque vocatus Apollo.
Principio sedes apibus statioque petenda,
Quo neque sit ventis aditus-nam pabula venti
Ferre domum prohibent-neque oves haedique petulci 10
Floribus insultent, aut errans bucula campo
Decutiat rorem, et surgentis atterat herbas.
Absint et picti squalentia terga lacerti
Pinguibus a stabulis, meropesque, aliaeque volucres,
Et manibus Procne pectus signata cruentis;
Omnia nam late vastant, ipsasque volantis
Ore ferunt dulcem nidis inmitibus escam.
At liquidi fontes et stagna virentia musco
Adsint, et tenuis fugiens per gramina rivus,
Palmaque vestibulum aut ingens oleaster inumbret, 20
Ut, cum prima novi ducent examina reges
1-7. The care of bees forms the subject of this book, which begins with an address to Maecenas, stating the argument.-8-24. A place suitable for bees should be chosen.
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